Growth of square Si single bulk crystals with large side-face widths using noncontact crucible method

Abstract

The noncontact crucible method was used to prepare square Si single bulk crystals. The size of the square part of the ingots was determined by the side-face width of the four-cornered pattern that appeared on the top surface. We obtained square Si single crystals with sizes of 9.4 × 9.7 and 10.9 × 11.0 cm2 that had no fan-shaped {110} faces and had diagonal lengths of up to 91% of the crucible diameter. To obtain large square Si single bulk crystals with a large side-face width using the present method, the importance of establishing a larger low-temperature region in the Si melt while maintaining a smaller initial temperature reduction was considered.

High-speed growth of Si single bulk crystals by expanding low-temperature region in Si melt using noncontact crucible method

“…2 (b). The side face in the <110> direction was flat but the <100> corner had a fan-shaped face [4]. The side-face widths were 10.3 and 10.7 cm for this ingot, which corresponded to the step at ΔT in = 17 K shown in Fig.…”

“…Si single bulk crystals with a square-like shape can be grown using the present method. Perfect square Si single bulk crystals with a long side-face width have also obtained [4].…”

“…Because of this, dislocations in the ingot move to the periphery of the ingot from its center during crystal growth. As a result, the dislocation density has been reduced to the order of 10 2 10 3 /cm 2 by support of a necking technique [3,4]. Also, ingots with a crystal diameter as large as the crucible diameter can be grown because the crystal diameter is determined by the size of the low-temperature region in the Si melt [3].…”

Multicrystalline Silicon Crystal Growth for Photovoltaic Applications

“…The appearance of the grown crystal by Jouini's group is shown in Figure 10.21(b), and the seed print could be clearly seen from the top surface. With sufficiently low radial thermal gradients, square-shaped ingots with {110} side faces were also grown [149]. However, for the nondislocated grain boundaries, as shown on the right figure, no defect propagation was observed.…”

Growth of Si Bulk Crystals with Large Diameter Ratio Using Small Crucibles by Creating a Large Low-Temperature Region Inside a Si Melt Contained in an NOC Furnace Developed Using Two Zone Heaters

“…[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8] This method is similar to the Kyropoulos method. [9][10][11] In the NOC method, however, a low-temperature region must be intentionally established in a Si melt.…”